Record-book



G. S. WHITE.

RECORD BOOK.

APPLICATION min rB.1,1919.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

vQN.

INV/:wrok

N .MSN

, G. S. WHITE.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GUSTINE SNOVDEN WHITE, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

RECORD-BOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

Application filed February 7, 191e.y serial No. 275,509.

To all 'LU/1,0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GUSTINE S. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Record-Books; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This' invention relates especially to books for indexing and grouping together in ledger form various records.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of an index, by means of which the searching of records will be greatly simplilied, and the time consumed in making such a search will be reduced to a minimum. Furthermore the liability of overlooking a recorded instrument will likewise be reduced to a minimum.

In the description of the invention I will refer particularly to a grantors deed index only; which consists of three constituent parts, namely a body index, a front index, and a sub-index to the front index, but it is to be understood that the system of indexin can be adapted to various other recor s, as will be perfectly obvious.

Figure l is a view of a fragment of a page containing the sub-index to the front index;

Fig. 2 is a fragment of a page of the front index;

Fig. 3 is a fragment of a page of the body index; and

Fig. 4 is a fragment of a page of the body index.

In this respect it is to be understood that the leaves may, of course, be associated with each other in any suitable and convenient manner, as the method of securing or binding the leaves together is not material to the present invention. I will, however, describe the leaves as being leaves of a bound volume. Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawing, it will be seen that this leaf is numbered at the upper corner, as at l, the particular number of the page being 64. The pages of the book are all numbered consecutively. and the numbers not only are applied to the bodv index, but also to the front index, but I would have it understood that the body index could be numbered with another set of gures if desired, without materially varying from the"y invention.

In making up the index, when an instrument is presented for record, the family name of the grantor is placed on one of the pages of the body index under the proper heading, which indicates that the name is the family name, said heading being represented at 2 in Fig. 3. The adjacent portion of the grantors heading is divided into three columns, 3, 4, and 5, and the operator designates and writes in the letters for the three columns with the proper letters for given or Christian names to accord with sub-index letters printed on the top of the pages of the front index, because the three columns under the heading, First letter of given name are not printed in the book, for reasons that I will later explain. In the succeeding columns the other necessary data are recorded, said data being indicated generally at 7. For example, if an instrument is presented under the name of Anna Stewart as grantor, the name Stewart is placed under the Family name heading 2, at 8, and the name Anna is placed in the column 3, at 9. rIhis column is given the heading A at l0, which indicates that the first letter of the given or Christian name is A At the same time the letters B and C are placed above the columns 4 and 5, so that when an instrument is presented for record under the name of C Percival Stewart, for instance, Stewart is placed under the Family name heading at ll, and the C. Percival is placed under the C heading at 12. The same scheme is followed out when an instrument is presented for record where the Christian name of the grantor begins with B, the Christian name being placed under J[he B column. It may be here stated that the selection of the page of the body index on which to record the instrument, is purely arbitrary, and the position of the page is likewise arbitrary, as is indicated by the family names on page 64, as illustrated in Fig. 3, or as illustrated in Fig. 4, where ai portion of page 74 isv shown. If an instrument is presented under the name of David J. Stewart as grantor, a page is selected, and the family name is placed under the Family name heading at and the given coluinn, asindicated in the sub-index to naine David J. is arranged under the proper heading D, which is shou'n at 15, and the reinaining adjacent coluinns are at the saine tiine designated by the next succeeding letters of the alphabet as at 1G and 17, the letters being in this case E and F. 1t must be understood that itaniil5v naines that are spelled various ways, such as Stewart, Stuart, etc., are placed in the saine account in the body index, and the various spellings are also noted in the front index. For illustration of this see Fig. 3 of drawing of loo( y index, and also Fig. :2 ot drawing of trent index.

Thus it will be obvious that when an instruinent is presented for record in which the grantoi"s given or Christiannaine begins With A, the family naine is enteren in a coluinn on an arbitrarily selected page under the heading o Family naine and the given naine is entered in an adjacent coluinn under the heading C", which is designated by the lirst letter et the Christian naine. At the saine time the operator Writes in the proper colunins the thr heading letters A, B anc C und the heading First letter of given nani so that subsequently if an instrument is p sented for record with the saine family naine in which the grantors Christian naine begins with A, B or cC7 the 'family naine is entered beneath the Fainilj,v naine coluinn, and the grantons Christ in naine is placed beneath the proper heading Mfr", B or C as designated bv sub-index to l b front index. Then again, ii an instrument is presented wherein the given naine of the grantor begins with D, a page is eroitraril)v selec-ted and the family naine is placed in the proper column, while the given naine is placed beneath the heading t n i! which the operator enters in the propo tb front index, and also writes the letters E l and F Whic i are the succeeding letters the alphabet in their proper columns, according to the said sub-index to the front index, so that it instrunients et the saine fainily naine are subsequentij),v presented, where the given naines begin with D, E or F, these instruments are re# corded in the saine account on the saine page, and the given naines are arranged beneath the proper letters` The saine Scheine is iolloived throughout the bodgY index, when an account is opened :for a Al'ainily name, the proper three letters for given or Christian naine columns are obtained frein the subindex of the front index, printed on the ton of the pages oit' the front index, and vritten in the columns in their proper chronological order, except in such instancesl as it is `'oun-:l desirable to grono in the same column tivo letters indicating the iirst letter et the- Christian naine. For instance, P and,

certain other letters in tl are seldom used i'or Christian naines, and

these too, may be grouped with the letter ci I is, ot course, to oe understood that i." is desirable to divide the naines of grantors into convenient groups,l and Y,for tais purpose a sel arate book is generally provided for each letter of the alphabet, he bool( illustrated in the drawing being for the letter tl ln this manner, the body index is made up. he value et nialiing an index in this v'ay, with accounts of a particular family naine, provided with three columns designed with headings the lli letters of given or Christian names, therebry combining in one account all the instruna its ot a particular tamil)v naine, Whose given or Christian naines connnence with three ditlerent lettere is manifold, 'll

the ai'ihabet.

ingv or succeeding To illustrate this l win rear to 3 ot the drawing, which shows 'hat all the il Stewarts, all of the B l Stewarts, and all of the 4 C 'ltcnarts are in one account. rlhus perfectly obvious that by the use et this plan oi con'ibiningl in one account the B E and C i' Stewarts, the necessitiv oit' opening three accounts is avoided, and the extra labor ot opening two other accounts is saved. Particular attention is called to the iliact that by opei'iing one account instead of three :ic-- counts the cfzugacit;- et the bool; is saved, and will last muc-h longer, as il4 will contain only about one-third ot the nuniber of accounts, consequentlyY the booli expands to better advantage. Elev-Jevervc would have it understood that the bod;Y index corld be provided with two, 'tour or more columns, with headings for the first letters et given or Christian naines` Without varying :nate riall'v troni the invention. liet it be understood, that when a Searcher is making' an abstract, that .vliile the il, l B and C l Stewarts are in one account, the fr Stewarts are together, the B tltewarts are together, and the C Steward: are together. Another valuable reason 'for 1nah` ing abodj.' index in this manner is that it niav be in delinitelv expanded, as an :ucouut inav be placed upon any selected page, and the given or Christian nan'ie columns designated bf; the proper letters, therebiY renden ing` all the page of the bod index useiuh because the given or Christ an naine heading columns have been lett blanlr,

rEhe pages oit the front portion of the book are used for the trent index, and are associated with a printed sub-index, provided on the top of the right hand pages ot' each page of the front index, when the front index is opened, and on the top of the left hand pages of each page of the front index, when the front index is opened, the instructions for operating the sub-index code characters are printed. However, I would have it understood that the top of both pages of the front index could be used for the subindex code characters without materially varying from. the invention. These pages are numbered, as before stated, as at 18, and these numbers form part of the series which extends through the body index. All family names are entered on the pages inl the columns provided in the front index in accordance with the instructions, and subindex code characters printed on the top of said front index, and at same time the family name is entered, the page number of the body index upon which said account is opened, is entered on the same line, opposite the family name in a suitable column provided for said page number, for instance at 20 of Fig. 2, and as before stated when a family name is spelled in various ways, such as Stuart, Stewart, and Steward, the various spellings are noted on the same line in the front index. Of course, if two or more instruments are presented for record under the name of Anna Stewart, for instance, this indexing is done on the same page of the body index, and in this event it will only be necessary for the name Stewart to appear once in the front index, as the column .headed A under the heading First letter of given name in the body index has been provided with the letter A, and also with the letters B and C to index any other instruments that may be Apresented for record later. p

The sub-index of the front index is based upon three code characters of the family name, namely: M, It, and Miscellaneous, and names are classified by columns headed M, R, and y Miscellaneous. In using the code characters omit the first letter in the name from consideration. In the M column all names are classified that have the letter M in the name, that the first code character is Mg for example the name Smith would be classified in an M column. In an R column all names are classified that the first code character in the name is Rg l for cxample the name Sheridan would be classified in the It column. In a Miscellaneous7 column all naines are classified that do net contain the code characters M or Rg for example the name Snell would be classified in the Miscellaneous column. The code characters M, R, and Miscellaneous hare a series of columns 22, 23, and 24, assoelated with them containing groups of letters that are the first letters of given names, except in cases where the name is a corporation, firm, or association, in which case the lirst word in the name is used omitting always The from consideration. These colunms contain groups of threeJ letters each, as A, B, C: I), E, F: G, H, I: etc., with the exception of the groups containing` the letter P and the letter X These two grou as contain four letters, the letter Q being associated with the letter 1), and the letter Y with the letter X, which is the same association which is made in the body index, and which has previously been described. Arranged beside each of these column of groups of letters are vertical columns of numbers which are indicated generally at 25, 26, and 27, and which are arranged beneath headings 28, 29, and 30, which headings are invariably l\I, R, and Miscellaneous, and which designate the code characters of the family name. Any one of the numbers in the columns 25, 26, and 27 designate a page of the front index on which a name appears, which name includes the code characters M, R, and Miscellaneous, and which name includes in the body indexl a given name beginning with a letter which appears to the left of the particular number. By way of example, consider the name Anna Stewart. The letter R appears in this name, therefore, the operator will turn to the column 26 which is beneath the code character It and will observe the number t which is arranged in horizontal alinement with the letter A in the column 22. Turning to page i of the front index, he will observe the name Stewart, with (ist written after it and turning to page Gi to which the front index refers, he will find in the body index all the deeds in which Anna Stewart is the grantor. The value of printing a sub-index of a front index on the top of the pages of a front index, is very manifest, as it is always well preserved, affording the person using it a clear, and exact guide to the name being searched. Another valuable reason for printing the sub-index of aI front index on the top pages of a front index is, that it saves cutting in an index, which tears easily after having been cut in. Still another reason is, that the letters or characters printed on the tabs of a cut in index, become dirty, and often rubbed ofi' by constant use of the thumb, thereby making the letters or characters indistinct, and sometimes useless. I would also have it further understood that the printing of a sub-index table on the top pages of a front index can be applied to various other records requiring a front index, where sub-divisions for names are needed, and not only to the work herein described. Let it be further understood that the code characters M, R and Miscellaneous can be applied in various other ways than herein described.

Having described the body index, the

pages, a sub-index referring to the pages of the front index by the characters M, R and Miscellaneous Which corresponds to the character in the name in the front index.

6. An index including a body index which consists of headings which correspond to the letters of the alphabet, said headings being arranged in convenient groups on separate, arbitrarily selected numbered pages, names arranged on said page With the family names in groups and the given names associated with the headings so that the first letter of the given names corresponds to the associated heading, a front index consisting of family names Written on arbitrarily selected numbered pages, which names correspond to the family names in the body index and separated according to the rst letter of the given name of the corresponding names in the body index to Which they refer, the numbers of the pages of the body index being arranged beside the index names in the front index, a sub-index including lists of numbers corresponding to the numbers of the pages of the front index, the characters M R and Miscellaneous being associated With said numbers in the sub-index and the letters of the alphabet being divided into groups similar to those of the body index and associated With the numbers of the pages of the front index whereby the name in the front index which corresponds to a name in the body index may be located.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

GUSTINE SNOVVDEN lNHITE. 

